Loosheeee's Blog

So you’ve secured your first job in yachting – well done! Don’t worry if it all seems a bit intense though, there are still plenty of opportunities for a quick return to the carefree life of dock walking, crew house accommodation & living on crackers.

Do:

ØComplain. The rest of the crew aren’t knackered, hot, bored or home-sick, so it’s important to remind them that you are. Having just arrived, you’re bound to be all of the above in far greater measures than those who’ve been there for only months or years.

ØArrive late. With your wealth of experience, they should be grateful to see you before lunch, let alone looking awake, smart and in time for a coffee before you’re due to start.

ØCall the chief engineer to an emergency involving your not understanding how the washing machine/pressure hose/microwave works. They have all the time in the world to answer this sort of query, and certainly won’t storm off in a rage, leaving you with instructions to “RTFB!!!”. (Read the f*cking book).

ØScrew the crew. What everyone living in a confined space loves is an atmosphere – whether it be of the flirty/nauseatingly lovey-dovey/pornographically sexually charged variety or the hurt/angry/jealous aftermath thereof. The rest of the crew will think it’s great that you’ve put them off their lunch and out of the crew’s mess, and you’ll almost certainly get to walk the unemployment plank back to Antibes and freedom.

ØGet totally and utterly wrecked at every given opportunity. It’s the ‘yachtie’ way after all - especially when in uniform.

ØRemember that you are irreplaceable. Never has a junior stew or deckie’s wealth of experience & need for rest been more valued than yours.

Don’t:

ØStart strong. Enthusiasm, positivity & gratitude for being given your break into the industry are over-rated.

ØResist the urge to gossip. Slagging your colleagues off behind their backs achieves far more than discussing any issues with them face to face, and bad mouthing the yacht to the greater floating community can only improve its (and your) reputation in the long run. It definitely won’t get back to your captain either.

ØPay too much attention to “constructive” criticism. Your superiors relish your shortcomings – it makes them look better, and therefore everyone’s tips bigger. Having done your job for years previously, their methods & benchmarks are most probably outdated anyway and well in need of your fresh-eyed review.

ØIf you’ve all been out on a tip funded, Dom Perrignon & Jaegermeister fuelled bender the night before, get up before the rest of the crew to ensure that all incriminating evidence is removed from the jacuzzi/crew’s mess/facebook, or put the coffee on, the flag up or chuck any breakages overboard. Crew HATE waking up in a dehydrated, cross-eyed panic only to find that their worst worries have already been allayed, their significant others are still blissfully ignorant of their drunken escapades with the buxom stew/buff deckie from M/Y XXX and that they are still gainfully employed.

ØFinish strong and see it though until the end of the season if you can’t be arsed. If the crew are starting to grate, the guests are whiny, annoying and tight fisted and you’ve saved all you need for that trip to Thailand then just get the hell out of there. A good reference and a CV demonstrating your ability to see it through are totally over-priced when it comes to securing your next job. Bailing a few weeks early is well worth the long term cost.

Last Edited by Lucie_1 at 13/03/2010 20:14

Nicely put, but I would also include.-Borrowing the engineers tools with out permission and leaving them at all over the yacht. (So much more efficient having them spread out that way).-Borrowing the tender in the middle of the night to run your friends back to their yacht, (or even better borrowing some one else’s tender!)-Having a midnight snack from the guest fridge in the galley. (The chef will never notice that the foie gras is all gone) And my favorite-Sleeping with a charter quests or in one case I know of the charter guests 18 year old daughterPosted by: jonathan( Visit ) at 13/03/2010 08:30

Great ArticlePosted by: john at 13/03/2010 14:26

:) What about borrowing things to the other boat 2 places of yours!!Posted by: Salvador at 15/03/2010 13:38

Oh... sorry, I've done that one... but what an anxiety until the parts are back on place!Posted by: Salvador at 15/03/2010 13:42

I don't think these rules only apply to greenis. Some longer term members of the industry should also take note.Posted by: anon at 16/03/2010 16:47

Doesnt matter who she is - if she's 18 it's all good. She shouldn't be such a little slut.Posted by: Pedro at 20/03/2010 05:06

Good call Lucie! Any newbies out there who are serious about their yachting career - get a book like 'The Insiders Guide to being a Yacht Stewardess' or similar - and read it!! It is a steep learning curve and no'one wants to spend all their time explaining things to you over and over again - so at least you can sound like you are a bit clued up and everyone will be grateful.... and for pities sake, don't cry if you have just polished the same mirror 3 times and your Chief says it is still smudged - just apologise and ask nicely how to do it properly - Thank you!!!Posted by: Caroline at 28/03/2010 00:18

everyone was green at one point, but somef the greenies i get through now a f'n arrogant arent they? i almost had to beat one deckie up prove my point.Posted by: Bo at 31/03/2010 22:06

Im a newbie into the industry and this article has really helped. Thankyou :) HayleyPosted by: Hayley Mckee at 22/10/2010 12:59